PLEONASM: CONCEPT, EXAMPLES AND CHARACTERISTICS - LITERATURE - 2025

A pleonasm is a sentence or expression that uses unnecessary / redundant words with the intention of emphasizing the message that you want to convey. It is a figure of speech that involves intentionally adding words to an expression so that it is more clearly and easily understood.

If words are repeated that are not necessary in an expression in a vulgar or everyday way, the pleonasm goes from being a rhetorical figure, to a vice of language. For this reason they are also known as redundancies.

Example of pleonasm

A pleonasm, even when it does not provide different meanings to the sentence, is a constructive figure that reinforces its communicative intention and gives the sentences more expressiveness.

Concept and definition

Pleonasm consists of using more than two words that have the same meaning in a sentence and that do not add any added value to the compression of the message.

For example: "Warning, thank you for warning this warning."

Pleonasmos derives from the Greek word pleonasmos, which means more, too much, much. In Latin it is known as pleonasmus.

Synonyms of pleonasm are repetition, redundancy, and excess, among others. The pleonasm has the same root and meaning as the subject or verb of the sentence.

The Royal Spanish Academy defines pleonasm as "the use in the sentence of one or more unnecessary words so that it has complete meaning, but with which expressiveness is added to what is said."

He also defines it as "too much or vicious redundancy of words." In this sense, pleonasm can sometimes add expressiveness to the sentence, but it can also add redundancy.

In the sender, the main characteristic of the pleonasm is to reinforce the message that you want to transmit to the receiver.

Examples of pleonasms

Colloquial expressions

- I painted it with my own hands.

- Get outside.

- I saw it with my own eyes.

- Come inside.

- Repeat again.

- He had a daughter as a woman.

- Main character.

- Wood tree.

- Honey bee.

Prayers

-To see it more clearly you must go upstairs and look out the window. ( There is a pleonasm, since going up is understood to be up, not going down).

-All children have to enter the classroom. (There is a pleonasm, since entering refers to the inside, not entering outside).

-In the distance you could hardly see a ship sailing through the water. (A pleonasm is observed since when navigating it is assumed that one navigates in the water).

-The doctor has n't arrived yet, he has to wait. (A pleonasm is detected, because even and still, they have the same meaning in the sentence).

-Shut up and don't reveal my secret. (There is a pleonasm, because the silence clearly refers to the mouth).

-Oranges are sweet like honey from bees. ( Honey is made by bees only, therefore there is pleonasm).

-Those boys often have many friends. (The expressions usually have and often have the same meaning in the sentence, forming a pleonasm).

-The painting you presented is an exact replica of the original. (The word replica indicates that it is exact and is understood, presenting a pleonasm).

He them gave the children toys that were given away free. (When giving is supposed to be a gift and for free, without paying for it, they have the same meaning in the sentence, therefore there is a pleonasm)

-At nightfall we all contemplate the constellation of stars. (A constellation is a set of stars, therefore a pleonasm is formed)

-The judge of the 7th court has already issued the final verdict. (The term verdict refers to the decision or sentence, and this is the final part of the trial, that is why there is a pleonasm)

-In a hypothetical case, what decisions would you make in this case? (A hypothesis is an assumption, a pleonasm is formed)

-The witness of the event indicated to the judge: "I saw everything, with my own eyes." (A pleonasm is observed, because something could not be seen with the eyes of another person)

-When the truck arrived, the full load was unloaded immediately . (When saying download it is understood that it is the load, there is a pleonasm).

-For everyone to understand the information, we are going to repeat it again (The term repeat again, forms a pleonasm, since repeating is supposed to do something again, so it is not new).

-The bird after eating, flew into the air (Flying is supposed to be through the air, it is not flown through water or land, there is pleonasm).

-I don't forget those kisses that you gave me with your lips. (Kissing is done with the lips, therefore there is a pleonasm)

-This love and farewell letter was written to you in my own handwriting. (If a person writes it, the handwriting is supposed to be his)

-When entering the supermarket, you could see how completely crowded it was. (Pleonasm is formed, because completely means full and crowded too, so they have the same meaning in the sentence)

-All the balls are rolling on the ground, they must stop and pick them up . ( It is supposed to roll on the ground, it cannot roll in water, nor in air, a pleonasm is formed)

-This Doctor who doesn't tell me anything, as if he were mute who doesn't speak. (By denying that he says and saying that he is mute, he means that he does not speak, pleonasms are formed)

-When looking in the mirror and observing my face, I said to myself… (when I said I said to myself, it is understood that I am myself, pleonasm is formed)

-When we arrived at the airport, we all went to the entrance access. (An access is a way to enter, therefore a pleonasm occurs).

-When checking the expiration date of the medicine, it was possible to verify that it is currently valid (The word current indicates that it is currently valid, otherwise, it is not current, a pleonasm is formed)

-The doctor told them that they have to drink more fluids. (The word drink implies to ingest liquid, you do not drink something solid, therefore there is pleonasm.)

-The final outcome of the novel was unexpected. (The denouement is the final part of the novel, therefore a pleonasm is formed).

-On his birthday, his family and friends gave him an unexpected surprise. (Being a surprise, it is unknown and unexpected, a pleonasm is formed).

-These situations must be anticipated in advance, to avoid problems. (Anticipating indicates that it is anticipated, it cannot be predicted later, there is pleonasm).

-The grandfather told the children several stories from the past. (History and past have the same meaning, there are no future stories, therefore a pleonasm is established)

-The patient presented with a blood hemorrhage. ("Heme" indicates that it is blood, therefore there cannot be a hemorrhage from something else, and a pleonasm occurs).

characteristics

May show little command of language

The pleonasm may show little linguistic ability when expressing an idea. It is characterized as a vice and also as a figure of speech.

It can be vicious when it repeats a word or idea, which is seen as a language defect due to the use of a word that has the same relationship with the verb or subject of the sentence.

If this word is omitted, the phrase has the same meaning. An example would be: moving forward.

Furthermore, the pleonasm is a figure derived from tautology (repetition of words) that belongs to the group of figures of diction. When it occurs by repetition of terms, it is called datism.

Can be used intentionally to reinforce an idea

As a figure of speech, add words that are not necessary in a sentence. However, it is considered correct as an expressive use to fix an idea, since its characteristic is to reinforce the message so that it is clearer to understand.

An example of this is when the following phrase is used: "We are counting on each and every one of you to achieve it!" It is understood that everyone must collaborate.

The pleonasm is used to give more energy or elegance to expressions, in which exceptions to the syntax and grammar of the Spanish language are allowed.

Break grammar rules

The pleonasm breaks the rules of placement and uses adjectives like own and same; as for example: your father himself has sent it.

By some writers it is considered poetic

Another important characteristic of pleonasm is that it is considered by many writers as a poetic language, because it is a resource used to give beauty to their arguments.

Such is the case presented below, based on a text by Miguel Hernández, poet and playwright of 20th century Spanish literature:

"Early; he got up early in the morning, early you're rolling on the ground ”. (Verse 20 and 21 of "Elegy to Ramón Sijé").

Used in music

The pleonasm is also used frequently in music. For example, the Spanish group Estopa uses it in the song When Amanece: "And I want to kiss you, kiss your candy lips and let the devil take me if I don't love you".

Another musical theme where the use of pleonasm can be observed correctly is It rains on wet, by Fito Páez and Joaquín Sabina.

Use personal pronouns

On the other hand, the pleonasm uses the repetition of personal pronouns. For example: "They tell me and they call you."

Although the Spanish language uses pleonasms as a figurative syntax, if it is used in everyday language, a mistake is made. Vulgar or careless pleonasm is not considered a figure of speech.

Sometimes it can be objectionable when expressive poverty is demonstrated by repeating the same thing with different words.

Pleonasm is used incorrectly by most of the people, since they use it in a derisive sense in their daily conversations.

For all this, pleonasm cannot be studied with a purely grammatical criterion.

References

1. What is the meaning of pleonasm. Concept, definition. Recovered from: edukavital.blogspot.com
2. Pleonasmos. Recovered from: ortografialiteratura.blogspot.com
3. Guerrero, S. (2000). Cervantes Virtual Center: Redundancies in Spanish: a means to polish the language at the levels of improvement. Recovered from: cvc.cervantes.es
4. Peláez, A. (2013). Huffington Post: A pleonasm is nothing more than a well-dressed redundancy. Recovered from: huffingtonpost.es